Shaft-coupling.



H. C. HART.

SHAFT COUPLING.

APPLICATION FILED MAR. 20. 1913,

1 1%@ 978O Patented May 25, 1915.

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HUBER!!! C. HART, 0F IJ'NIONTVIIQLE,-CONNEGTICU'1.

SHAFT-COUPLING.

wa ers.

Specification of Letters 'Jiatent.

PatentedMay 25, 11915.

Application fiiedmarch 20, 1913. Serial 1%. 755,715.

tion of the invention, such as will enable others skilled in the art towhich it appertains to make and use the same, reference being had to theaccompanying drawings, and to letters or figures of referenpe markedthereon, which form a part of this specification.

' This invention relates to shaft couplings, and more particularly tothat class of shaft couplings adapted to connect the abutting ends ofseparate shafts by means of tapered bushings and screw-threaded collarsoperating therewith.

The object of the invention is to provide a shaft coupling capable "ofexerting a great pressure upon the shafts held thereby to prevent anydanger of the shafts becoming loose.

A further object of the invention is to provide a shaft coupling whichshall; be compact, strong, and of the fewest possible parts.

With these and other objects in view the invention consists in thecombination and relation of parts as hereinafter described and moreparticularly pointed out in the appended claim.

Referring to the drawings, wherein similar reference numerals indicatesimilar parts wherever used, Figure 1 is a side elevation of the device.Fig. 2 is a longitudinal sectional view of the device. Fig. 3 is asection on line 3-3 of Fig. 2. Fig. 4 is a perspective view of one ofthe tapered bushings.

5 and 6 are the two shafts to be coupled by means of the device.

An annular member 7 is provided with similar screw threaded end portions88. Upon the interior of the member 7, is a shoulder 9, providedwithtapering sides 10. The internal diameter of the shoulder forms a slidingfit for the shaft ends as at 11.

Adjacent the tapered ends 10, of the interior shoulder 9, the annularmember 8, is slightly hollowed out to allow the insertion oflongitudinally split bushings or removable clamping members 12 12, Fig.4.

These: bushings-are provided with tapering portions-13 311; each endthereof, and a plain 1 cylindrical portion 19,-intermediate the taperedends.-v These tapered bushings are inserted: Wl-tlliIL the annularmember 7 until they abut. against thetapered edges 10, of the interiorshoulder 9, when the tapered portions 13, engage the tapered edges 10.

While the parts are in the said position, screw threaded annular collars14, are fitted to the portions 8, of the member 7. Upon these collarsare depending outward flanges 15, provided with inwardly taperingsurfaces 16. These tapered surfaces 16, engage the outer, taper'edportion 13, of the bushing 12, at the outermost part of the taperedportion. The shafts 5 and 6, to be coupled, are now inserted. By meansof suitable tools inserted in sockets 17, for this purpose, the collars14 are rotated. The tapered surface 16, slides inwardly upon the taperedsurface 13, thus forcing the bushing tightly against the interiorshoulder 9. At the same time the bushing 12, is being contracted, due tothe longitudinal slot 18, therein in the following manner. As the collar14, is screwed inwardly upon the portion 8, the tapered portion 16,bears upon the portion 13 of the bushing and rides thereupon. Furtherpressure being applied, the slot 18, begins to close, thus lessening thediameter of the bushing and clamping it tightly against the interiortapered edge 10 and also around the shaft passing there through, thusforming a tight fit for the shaft, which is thus held against anymovement.

Variation of the details as borne out may be accomplished withoutdeparting from the spirit of my invention.

I claim A shaft coupling comprising a central elongated cylindricalmember eXteriorly threaded at both ends, and provided with a centralbore, the bore at opposite ends of the member being cylindrical, theinner ends of the cylindrical portions of the bore be.- ing inwardlytapered and a central reduced cylindrical portion of the bore beingformed between said inwardly ta ered portions, the inner ends of thecouple shaft sections fitting snugly in the reduced central cylin-vdrical portion of the bore, split bushings fitted in the cylindrical endportions'of the bore, each bushing comprising a central elongatedcylindrical portion and oppositely tapered ends, the inner tapered endsof the bushings engaging the inwardly tapered portions of the bores, andthe outer tapered ends of the bushings extending beyond the ends of thecentral cylindrical member, the

diameter of the bore of the opposite cylindrical portions between thetapered portions and the ends of the cylindrical member being greaterthan the diameter of the cylindrical portions of the bushings betweenthe tapered ends, and clamping nuts engaging the exterior threads on thecentral member, each of said nuts having an inturned end flange which isbeveled on its inner edge surface, the beveled edge surfaces of the nutsengaging the outer tapered ends of the

